A monthly electronic newsletter summarizing Minnesota's climate conditions and the resulting impact on water resources. Distributed on the first Thursday of the month.
State Climatology Office - DNR Division of Ecological and Water Resources, St. Paul
distributed: July 11, 2025
What happened in June 2025:
- On average, June is our wettest month in the state. There was a wide range of precipitation totals for the month, ranging from below normal in the northwest, with average to above average across the rest of the state. The wettest areas for the month was in a swath from west central to east central Minnesota. One of the wettest locations was Canby in Yellow Medicine County with 12.27 inches, or 8.16 inches above normal. One of the drier locations was Crookston in Polk County that saw 1.47 inches of rain or 2.68 inches below normal. The statewide average precipitation was 5.55 inches or 1.11 inches above normal. [see: June 2025 Precipitation Total Map | June 2025 Precipitation Departure Map | June 2025 Climate Summary Table | June 2025 Percent of Normal Precipitation Map]
- June 2025 was an active month storm-wise with multiple days of storms. A humid and unstable air mass spread into Minnesota early on Monday June 16, as a disturbance and strong winds aloft approached from the west. Thunderstorms had erupted overnight into early Monday morning across western and southern Minnesota, and waves of scattered thunderstorms followed them throughout the day, with some areas hit more than others but most parts of the state hearing rumbles of thunder at some point. Some of the morning and daytime thunderstorms produced hail and gusty winds. One intense thunderstorm streaked southeastward across the center of the Twin Cities, darkening the afternoon skies until streetlights came on, and producing torrential rainfall for 10-20 minutes.
[see: Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms, June 16, 2025 ] - Waves of extremely intense thunderstorms on June 20-21, 2025 produced very large hail, along with the strongest measured winds in Minnesota in almost 13 years, resulting in widespread and in some cases heavy damage, particularly in the Bemidji area. [see: Bemidji Blowdown and Other Severe Thunderstorms, June 20-21, 2025]
- The next severe weather event to hit the state only a few days later. A very humid air mass with weak winds led to multiple areas of slow-moving thunderstorms and heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday, June 25-26. Small tornadoes produced spotty damage in southeastern Minnesota on both days as well.
[see: Heavy Rain and Tornadoes, June 25-26, 2025] - A surge of warm and very humid air into Minnesota set the stage for yet another outbreak of tornadoes, along with areas of very heavy rain from Saturday June 28 into Sunday June 29, 2025.[see: More Tornadoes, More Heavy Rains, June 28-29, 2025]
- June 2025 was warm, with a few days that were quite hot and had at least one day that hearkened back to May. The preliminary average temperature was 66 degrees or .6 degrees above normal. The warmest temperature found was 101 degrees at Marshall in southwest Minnesota and the coldest temperature found was at three locations, Brimson, Celena and Embarrass, where the mercury dipped to 31 degrees. Despite the overall month being warm. July 13th was a chilly day across the state with a “high” temperature of only 57 degrees at the Twin Cities and was the second coldest maximum temperature on record for the date.
[see: June 2025 Climate Summary Table | 2025 June Departure from Normal Temperature Map]
Where we stand now:
- Seasonal precipitation so far (April 1 through July 1) shows that central, southeast and northeast Minnesota had precipitation above the historical median, with west central Minnesota about 150% of normal. In contract, northwestern Minnesota fell well short of historical averages, with some areas about 50% of normal.
[see: Seasonal Precipitation Maps] - The fairly wet June over much of the state, whittled away the drought, with the exception being in the northwest. In early July 2024 the entire state was free of any drought designation. On June 8, 2025 63% of the state was free of any drought designation. 32% of the state has Abnormally Dry conditions, with 3% of the state having Moderate conditions, with a very small area near Lake of the Woods in Severe drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor index is a blend of science and subjectivity where drought categories (Moderate, Severe etc.) are based on several indicators.
[see: Drought Conditions Overview] - The U.S. Geological Survey reports that stream discharge levels are mostly near normal to a few below normal in the north and central, and normal to much above normal in the south. In general, streamflows have improved over the past month.
[see: Cooperative Stream Gauging | USGS Stream Flow Conditions] - Water levels on most Minnesota lakes vary depending on lake and location in the state. Mille Lacs was at 11.32 ft, about three tenths of a foot below the median. The level on Lake Minnetonka on July 6 was at 929.79 feet with 300 cfs flowing through Gray's Bay Dam. White Bear Lake was 923.14 feet, very close to the same level as last year at this time. The lake level of Lake of the Woods on July 7 was below median range for this time of year and the storage status was in the 10th percentile. Lake Superior was forecast to be 601.77 feet for July 7, less than one tenth of a foot lower than the long term (1918-2024) average.
[see: Mille Lacs Lake Water Level | Lake Minnetonka Water Level | White Bear Lake Water Level | Lake of the Woods Control Board Basin Data | Corps of Engineers Great Lakes Water Levels] - The Agricultural Statistics Service on July 6 reported that topsoil moisture across Minnesota is 1 percent Very Short, 6 percent Short, 70 percent Adequate, and 23 percent Surplus. Soil moisture levels at Lamberton on July 1 were very close to historic averages for the time of year.
[see: Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress and Condition | U. of M. Southwest Research & Outreach Center (Lamberton) | 2011-2018 Lamberton Soil Moisture Graphs ] - Timely rains for the summer of 2025 has eased the fire danger. The potential for wildfires is currently rated by DNR Forestry as Low across the entire state, except some Moderate fire danger in the northwest and the northeast, and a pocket of High fire danger in the Upper and Lower Red Lake area.
[see: Fire Danger Rating Map]
Future prospects:
- The July precipitation outlook has a tendency for equal chances of below, above and normal precipitation. above normal precipitation. July precipitation normals range from just under three inches in northwest Minnesota to about five inches in southeastern counties.
[see: Climate Prediction Center 30-day Outlook | July Precipitation Normal Map] - Not only is there a tendency for an above normal temperatures for July in Minnesota, the entire contiguous United States also has a fairly strong tendency for above normal temperatures in July. Normal July high temperatures are in the 80s in the south and the upper 70s in the north. Normal July low temperatures are in the 50s in the north, and in the 60s in the south.
[see: Climate Prediction Center 30-day Outlook ] - The 90-day precipitation outlook (July-September) for Minnesota has a tilt for below normal precipitation, with a tendency for above normal temperatures. What does the winter of 2025-26 hold? The preliminary outlook for this winter has equal chances for above normal and below normal temperatures and the same for precipitation. Does this mean a “normal” winter? Stay tuned! [see: Climate Prediction Center 90-day Outlook | Meteorological Winter 2025-26]
From the author:
- It’s been an active severe storm season for Minnesota. Preliminary tornado count to date for Minnesota is 51 through the end of July 11. It is based on data collected by the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center and can be made at the link below. Some suspected tornadoes may not be shown yet, and some events may have been more/less numerous than indicated here. This is a higher preliminary total when compared to any of the surrounding states. [see: Storm Prediction Center]
Upcoming dates of note:
- July 17: National Weather Service releases 30/90-day temperature and precipitation outlooks